Interview with Jenna Denson of JDS Designs
Upscale Interior Design Deep in the Heart of Texas
We can't thank social media and Houzz.com enough for introducing us to a fabulous designer out of McKinney, Texas ~ Jenna Denson of JDS Designs. She reeled us in with photographs of her design studio, and then we clicked from project to project admiring her contemporary, clean design. With designs ranging from a sexy bedroom makeover (with beads aplenty) to a custom man cave fit for John Bonham (the lead drummer for Led Zeppelin, y"all ~ we're having an old school type of day), Jenna brings her creative style sense to a broad range of (gorgeous) rooms.
It seems reasonable to judge a designer partly by her own workspace, right? I mean, she created it from top to bottom and works in it as welle So when we found this image showing Jenna"s home design studio, we loved being a virtual fly on her chic patterned wall. Her studio is about as lovely a synthesis of feminine, modern and efficient as we've seen, and we wouldn't mind doing a little work there ourselves. You know, creating captivating spaces by the light of a Chandelier in our perfectly coordinated, perfectly organized studio. With our studio logo and soft graphic patterns scattered about. (Le sigh.)
And were you wanting to see that sexy bedroom that drew our eye as we were perusing Houzz? MmmmKaye In the 2nd photo, a wall of Beaded Curtains as the backdrop for this pretty bedroom done in cream and mocha. It reminds us of a waterfall ~ what a pretty MBR on a budget that works in the real world.
So, when we saw these photographs (and many more) from JDS Designs, we had to know more, and we're so glad that Jenna consented to an interview. Read on to find out how she caters to people with mid-range design budgets and gives them plenty of return on their interior Decorating budgets.
Please tell us a little bit about how you became an interior designer.
I started working at a design studio helping new homeowners make all the selections for their new houses and then decided to branch off on my own and start my own interior design business.
What is your favorite part of your work?
I love the reveal at the end of a project. Seeing my clients" faces and reactions to the rooms is the most rewarding part of my job.
What are the top five ingredients that a great room must have?
A great room must have a well chosen paint color, correct furniture proportions and placement, excellent lighting, a personal touch, and for me personally, I like to have a feature wall that has that wow factor.
What are the hot design trends that you're incorporating into your work?
It can be hard to stay on top of the trends all the time, but right now I like mixing a few different patterns into my projects.
How do you design rooms that will look fashionable but also stand the test of time?
I design rooms that are transitional and have neutral furniture so that down the road the homeowner can change color with pillows or accent colors without having to purchase a whole new room.
If you could only choose one home accessory to splurge on, what would it be?
If I could splurge on one home accessory, it would be a large scale photograph or piece of art.
What advice would you give a person who is stretching a modest design or remodel budget?
Most of my clients have a modest design budget, so I typically tell them to find things that we can repurpose and change to make it look new to fit in the space. I also tell my clients not to be afraid of the "discount" stores. I love coming up with new Ikea hack ideas. It is also important to focus on one room at a time instead of trying to stretch a budget on a whole house.
What luxuries would you suggest to a person with a super sized design or remodel budget?
I would suggest luxuries such as a room that can be a personal escapee a hobby/craft room, music studio, wine/cigar lounge, work out room, man or mom cave. I would also suggest splurging on the latest technology that is out there if you have a healthy budget.
What are your favorite ShopWildThings products? How do you use them, and why do you love them?
My favorite products are the Beaded Curtains. I have used them as a screen divider, as a backdrop behind a photograph, and as an accent wall for a bedroom. I love them because not only are they unique, they are easy to install, affordable, and it is always the first thing that grabs everyone"s attention.
What is the number one misconception about working with an interior designer?
I think the number one misconception about us is that we are too expensive to hire.
What question do you wish more people would ask you about interior design, or about working with a designer?
I wish people would ask how much time is dedicated to a design job or working with an Interior Designer. For most of us, it is not a 9-5 job. It never stops, and ideas are always flowing.
We hope that you've found Jenna"s words (and photographs) as inspiring as we did. We couldn't agree with her more about the benefits of hiring a professional interior designer, and possibly moving room by room through your home, making over one space at a time. The financial investment will come back to you several times over in the mistakes avoided, the cost savings that experience (and knowledge of local markets) can provide, and the value of solid design that stands the test of time.
We can't thank social media and Houzz.com enough for introducing us to a fabulous designer out of McKinney, Texas ~ Jenna Denson of JDS Designs. She reeled us in with photographs of her design studio, and then we clicked from project to project admiring her contemporary, clean design. With designs ranging from a sexy bedroom makeover (with beads aplenty) to a custom man cave fit for John Bonham (the lead drummer for Led Zeppelin, y"all ~ we're having an old school type of day), Jenna brings her creative style sense to a broad range of (gorgeous) rooms.
It seems reasonable to judge a designer partly by her own workspace, right? I mean, she created it from top to bottom and works in it as welle So when we found this image showing Jenna"s home design studio, we loved being a virtual fly on her chic patterned wall. Her studio is about as lovely a synthesis of feminine, modern and efficient as we've seen, and we wouldn't mind doing a little work there ourselves. You know, creating captivating spaces by the light of a Chandelier in our perfectly coordinated, perfectly organized studio. With our studio logo and soft graphic patterns scattered about. (Le sigh.)
And were you wanting to see that sexy bedroom that drew our eye as we were perusing Houzz? MmmmKaye In the 2nd photo, a wall of Beaded Curtains as the backdrop for this pretty bedroom done in cream and mocha. It reminds us of a waterfall ~ what a pretty MBR on a budget that works in the real world.
So, when we saw these photographs (and many more) from JDS Designs, we had to know more, and we're so glad that Jenna consented to an interview. Read on to find out how she caters to people with mid-range design budgets and gives them plenty of return on their interior Decorating budgets.
Please tell us a little bit about how you became an interior designer.
I started working at a design studio helping new homeowners make all the selections for their new houses and then decided to branch off on my own and start my own interior design business.
What is your favorite part of your work?
I love the reveal at the end of a project. Seeing my clients" faces and reactions to the rooms is the most rewarding part of my job.
What are the top five ingredients that a great room must have?
A great room must have a well chosen paint color, correct furniture proportions and placement, excellent lighting, a personal touch, and for me personally, I like to have a feature wall that has that wow factor.
What are the hot design trends that you're incorporating into your work?
It can be hard to stay on top of the trends all the time, but right now I like mixing a few different patterns into my projects.
How do you design rooms that will look fashionable but also stand the test of time?
I design rooms that are transitional and have neutral furniture so that down the road the homeowner can change color with pillows or accent colors without having to purchase a whole new room.
If you could only choose one home accessory to splurge on, what would it be?
If I could splurge on one home accessory, it would be a large scale photograph or piece of art.
What advice would you give a person who is stretching a modest design or remodel budget?
Most of my clients have a modest design budget, so I typically tell them to find things that we can repurpose and change to make it look new to fit in the space. I also tell my clients not to be afraid of the "discount" stores. I love coming up with new Ikea hack ideas. It is also important to focus on one room at a time instead of trying to stretch a budget on a whole house.
What luxuries would you suggest to a person with a super sized design or remodel budget?
I would suggest luxuries such as a room that can be a personal escapee a hobby/craft room, music studio, wine/cigar lounge, work out room, man or mom cave. I would also suggest splurging on the latest technology that is out there if you have a healthy budget.
What are your favorite ShopWildThings products? How do you use them, and why do you love them?
My favorite products are the Beaded Curtains. I have used them as a screen divider, as a backdrop behind a photograph, and as an accent wall for a bedroom. I love them because not only are they unique, they are easy to install, affordable, and it is always the first thing that grabs everyone"s attention.
What is the number one misconception about working with an interior designer?
I think the number one misconception about us is that we are too expensive to hire.
What question do you wish more people would ask you about interior design, or about working with a designer?
I wish people would ask how much time is dedicated to a design job or working with an Interior Designer. For most of us, it is not a 9-5 job. It never stops, and ideas are always flowing.
We hope that you've found Jenna"s words (and photographs) as inspiring as we did. We couldn't agree with her more about the benefits of hiring a professional interior designer, and possibly moving room by room through your home, making over one space at a time. The financial investment will come back to you several times over in the mistakes avoided, the cost savings that experience (and knowledge of local markets) can provide, and the value of solid design that stands the test of time.